Knee guard



Aug 1941- R. H. MANZECK 2,251,362

KNEE GUARD Filed Sept. 18, 1959 y v J 4 j INVENTOR.

BY Hoke) HI/fmzzec/c ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNEE GUARD Robert H. Manzeck, San Diego, Calif. Application September 18, 1939, SerialNo. 295,399

8 Claims.

My invention relates to a knee guard for use in protecting a persons knees when engaged in strenuous competitive sports and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a knee guard of this class I which is very flexible and which provides protection to all of the most vital portions of both sides of the knee joint even when said knee is in any angular position;

Second, to provide a knee guard of this class which is adjustable and which provides protection to the front portion of the knee;

Third, to provide a knee guard of this class in which a three point knee protector member is flexibly and yieldably mounted on each side of the knee joint and the joints conforming to the vital portions of the knee as it assumes various positions;

Fourth, to provide a knee guard of this class which is very comfortable and which permits a maximum motion of the knee;

Fifth, to provide a knee guard of this class in which parts are interchangeable and may be quickly replaced and adjusted;

Sixth, to provide a knee guard of this class which is easy to install and remove;

Seventh, to provide a knee guard of this class which is provided with a yieldable support for conforming to varying position of the knee when in action; and Eighth, to provide a knee guard of this class which is very simple and economical of construction. efiicient in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in View as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in Which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my knee guard; Fig. -2 is a sectional view taken from the line 2-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of one of the three point knee protector members; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the three is a fragmentary sectional View taken from the line 'l'l of Fig. 5.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

The knee band I, three point knee protector members 2 and 3, knee protector member supports 4 and the knee protector member supporting strap 5 constitute the principal parts and portions of my knee guard.

The knee band I is resilient and therefore adapted to fit on a persons knee in substantially the same manner as a stocking. It is open at both ends and each end is arranged to be positioned some distance from the knee joint. This knee band I is made of elastic material and sewed to its outer surface are the knee protector supports 4 by means of stitches 4a, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing. 7

The knee protector members 2 and 3am duplicates and the member 3, as shown in Fig. 4 is substantially triangular in shape with round points or corners 3a and 31). These points 32) are arranged to be positioned in the knee protectormember support 4 which are sewed to the knee band I forming a pocket in which said end portions eb may shift slightly due to the elastic character of the knee band I and the knee protector supports 4 which are also made of elastic material. The knee protector member 3 is made of two layers of material, a hard fibrous material 30 constituting the outer layer and a soft padding 3d constituting the inner layer, as shown best in Fig, 6. Clipped on the outer layer 30 is a metallic member 3e, as shown best in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. This member 36 is provided with three clip portions, two of which are designated 3g and are positioned on the forward edges of the member 3 and the clip portion 3 is positioned over the rear portion of the member 3, as shown best in Fig. 5 of the drawing. Positioned in the layers 3d and 3c and extending through the metallic member 3e, are holes 371., as shown best in Figs. 4, 5 and 7.

The knee protector supports 4 are provided with a curved portion 4b which conforms with the curve 3b of the knee protector members 2 and 3. These members '4 at their edges 40 are positioned adjacent the edges of the knee protector member supporting strap 5. In each end of this strap 5 are positioned eyelets 5a by means of which it is secured to the knee protector members 2 and 3 in which are positioned cords 519. These cords 51) extend through the hole 3h in the members 2 and 3 and also through the eyelets 5a of the strap 5, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. This strap 5 is made of elastic material and is arranged to engage the ends 3a of the knee protector members 2 and 3 holding these ends 3a securely against the sides of the knee of the person wearing my knee guard. It will be noted that this strap 5 may be adjusted relatively to the size of a persons knee by means of the cord 5b in the strap 5 and members 2 and 3.

The operation of my knee guard is substantially as follows: The knee band I is positioned on a persons knee with each end extending slightly beyond the knee joint by drawing it over the foot and up over the knee. The knee protector member supporting strap 5 is adjusted by means of the cords 5b so that the end portions 3a of the protector members 2 and 3 are positioned securely against the sides of the knee. When the person wearing my knee guard bends his knee to a certain angle, the points 311 of the protector members 2 and 3 being mounted in the elastic support 4 shift relatively to the amount the persons knee is bent and the members 2 and 3 remain in such a position as to protect the most vital points on each side of the knee. The member 3e provides a reinforcement for the member 3 at its central portion.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient supporting band arranged to extend above and below the wearers knee joint and a pair of three point knee protector members yieldably supported in opposed relation thereon, two of said ponts being in substantially vertical alignment and the other in horizontal position.

2. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient supporting band arranged to extend above and below the wearers knee joint and a pair of three point knee protector members yieldably supported in opposed relation thereon, two of said points being in substantially vertical alignment and the other in horizontalposition, and pocket shaped supporting members on said band in which two of said points are shiftably inserted.

V 3. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient supporting band arranged to extend above and below the wearers knee joint and a pair of three point knee protector members yieldably supported in opposed relation thereon, two of said points being in substantially vertical alignment and the other in horizontal position, pocket shaped supporting members on said band in which two of said points are shiftably inserted, and a knee protector member supporting strap secured to each of said three point knee protector members at its middle portion and extending forwardly over the front portion of the wearers knee.

4. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient supporting band arranged to extend above and below the wearers knee joint and a pair of three point knee protector members yieldably supported in opposed relation thereon, two of said points being in substantially vertical alignment and the other in horizontal position, pocket shaped supporting members on said band in which two of said points are shiftably inserted, a knee protector member supporting strap secured to each of said three point knee protector members at its middle portion and extending forwardly over the front portion of the wearers knee, and said strap extending over the horizontally positioned point on each of said three point knee protector members.

5. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient support provided with pocket shaped knee protector member supports on opposite sides in spaced relation to each other and a three point knee protector member with two of said points inserted in said pockets and the other point extending forwardly in substantially horizontal position.

6. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient support provided with pocket shaped knee protector member supports on opposite sides in spaced relation to each other, a three point knee protector member with two of said points inserted in said pockets and the other point extending forwardly in substantially horizontal position, and reinforcement for the central portion of said three point knee protector member.

'7. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient support provided with pocket shaped knee protector member supports on opposite sides in spaced relation to each other, a three point knee protector member with two of said points inserted in said pockets and the other point extending forwardly in substantially horizontal position, reinforcement for the central portion of said three point knee protector member, and a supporting strap secured to said three point knee protector members at its opposite ends and extending over the front portion of the knee.

8. In a knee guard of the class described, the combination of a single resilient support provided with pocket shaped knee protector member supports on opposite sides in spaced relation to each other, a three point knee protector member with two of said points inserted in said pockets and the other point extending forwardly in substantially horizontal position, reinforcements for the central portion of said three point knee protector member a supporting strap secured to said three point knee protector member at its opposite ends and extending over the front portion of the knee, and the walls of said strap diverging in both directions from its support.

ROBERT H. MANZECK. 

